…….after a lengthy wait, I have, for your reading pleasure, edited and released Reaper VII: Soul Talker, the next installment in my Reaper Series following the adventures of nephalim vigilante Samantha Bennet!

At 61, 800 words, this is a bit longer than most volumes in my Reaper Series, which i think is what a lot of my readers were hoping for.

Currently, this novel is available only on Kindle from Amazon (amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com, amazon.de, et al) — however, in 90 days’ time, i will be making it available via Smashwords, who distributes to Apple and other platforms.

I hope that you enjoy this one!

I had a lot of fun sorting out ways to ruin Samantha’s life… but also, to place a dim flickering light at the end of the tunnel, in the form of a new, powerful and resourceful ally!

p.s. 61,800 words for this installment! A bit MORE than a novella… After Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, etc, I will offer it via Smashwords (who distributes to Apple, et al) and quite possibly in a paperback collection titled “Reaper V – VII: Lust Love Loss” via Lulu.com where I would do the max discount to consumers possible, just as i did with the paperback “Reaper I – V: Origin” (available through Lulu.com at the discounted rate, available through Amazon.com at approx $24, which I find kind of embarassing). Trying to make paperback versions of the series as affordable as possible, but self-publishing so totally hinders this!!!! Anyway, the above is my current plan…. but first off, gotta get Reaper VII uploaded to Amazon!!! Which I will do this morning! If it goes the way it usually does, it should be available in 48 hours or so!!!

…….as soon as I got back from China, I was put back to work immediately (lol).

Literally: I arrived in Thompson with my bus delayed approximately three hours and thought that I would be able to catch up on some sleep. When I woke up, I saw that I had a text message — my Manager, asking if I could work a Night shift THAT night.

I said “yes” (I rarely say “no”), and thus began a whirlwind week at work, where I got two revisions done during my one day off and some down time :).

Now here I am, on a brief break during a night shift, announcing that I am revising my manuscripts and doing the necessary formatting to make them suitable for Smashwords (Autovetter).

With any luck, on my two days off this weekend I will be able to have the following titles available at Smashwords:

I am going to revise the manuscripts whose contracts have terminated at both New Concepts Publishing and Extasy Books and make them available on BOTH Smashwords.com and Amazon.com. These include:

Of Crimson Blood and Ivory Skin (M/F/F paranormal erotica)

Blood Song: The Captive (paranormal erotica)

My Experimental Years (M/F, F/F erotica novel-length)

Tales From the Owner-Operator of the Boulevard Motor Hotel (BDSM erotica)

The L-Word (M/F short erotica)

Tomorrow, Part One (sensual fantasy, novel-length)

As many of these manuscripts need some serious revision and possible redirection, it’s hard to say when ALL of them will be released.

Suffice to say, I will start with the Shades of Grey series, and work my way from there.

I also have a NUMBER of projects on the go that are beginning to call for my attention with voices raising in agitation, so it is possible that my creative energies will be spent breathing life into some entirely new stuff in the near future.

It would be nice, however, to get Shades of Grey Book 3, 4 and 5 out before Halloween, as well as Reaper 6.

……I solemnly swear that I will do my amateur author’s best to have Reaper V: To Skins out for my wonderful reading audience by no later than February 29, 2012 — Leap Year!

I’m trying to get two shifts juggled around at my real-world-day job, not necessarily so I can get more writing done (although it WOULD be nice) but because I need a bit of a break after my stretch of 8 nights (some of which are 12 hour shifts). [Side Note: Never in my life have I felt more kinship with the mythology of the vampire….up all night, sleeping all day (with as little sunlight to interrupt said sleep as possible)… makes it appropriate to be writing about Samantha Bennet, supernatural cop with a night-time vigilante gig —- ya, that’s a mouthful, but it’s an INTERESTING mouthful!…]

I’ve got a lot of work to do to make Reaper V as amazing as I envision – and want – it to be. I aspire to reach or exceed this goal. Thanks to the reviews left by readers on the various websites (and Amazon’s own website) I feel more able to navigate the gauntlet of writing woes….and also, may have learned from your input such things as how to avoid offending you & repulsing you. Also such things as how to succeed at keeping you interested, intriguing you and entertaining you!

I’m an amateur. Possibly one who is a little delusional if she thinks that she can pull off a writing career sans editor and Big 6 publishing house. That being said, I’m still surfing the learning curve and likely will be for the rest of said writing career.

Gladly, i can report that I’ve been making sales!

The majority of my book downloads from Amazon.com have been “FREE” downloads. This is roughly 35,000 copies’ worth by my estimate. Approximately 1,500 have been sales of between $2.99 – $0.99, resulting in royalties of between $2.10 and $0.34 (the majority of which have been of the $0.99USD variety, so let’s just say approx $600 in sales across USD, Euros, and Pounds). $600 will help cover some of the expenses incurred, such as the Office 2010 software and Dragon naturally Speaking software (which, sadly, I have not been using as much as I had hoped — great software, I just have a lisp from my braces which makes for a steep learning curve for commands and other features!). Another 100+ sales have not been sales but “borrows” from the Amazon Prime program. The borrows translate into (s0 far) approx $1.70 USD per borrow.

I have yet to see an actual red cent from Amazon (cheques are mailed 60 days after publication, apparently), and I published in early December. Also, you have to accumulate to $100USD before recieving USD funds, $100 Euro before you recieve Euro funds, etc. Then, there is the 30% witholding tax that the IRS maintains….

Suffice to say, that area of ye olde self-publishing learning curve is also relatively turbulent.

p.s. – I intend to keep all of my single Reaper installments at $0.99USD. When I release 5-installment collections (coming soon!) I will be charging a modest $3.99, so it’s basically like getting one installment free. This price may change as I assess consumer interest…er…reader satisfaction. 🙂

……..I’m uploading Reaper III: Rookies tonight! As in, within the next hour!

I have to work night shifts this weekend, so i’m staying up later tonight to adjust and am using my time wisely, being productive….

ANYWAY, just gotta write the blurb and whatnot, and Reaper III will be available for download on Amazon within about 48 hours.

As soon as I get my ducks in a row, I will figure out a good “free promotion” period (I’m thinking from Monday January 23 to Friday January 27….what do YOU think? I’m allotted five days, and am thinking maybe it’s best to get Reaper III out and known while there’s still interest brewing for Reaper I & II???)

So what will a reader find in Reaper III?

That Samantha Bennet has some very human feelings, concerns, and needs.

That means Her Man, Getting Lucky I: Pedro & Eddie, Shades of Grey: Prologue, Shades of Grey: Hear No Evil, and the Deal will all be free of charge from 0000 Pacific Time December 25 to 2359 Pacific Time December 27.

Lil ol’ me

I'm a published Canadian author of contemporary and paranormal romance and erotica (eBooks thus far!), aspiring to become a household horror icon...There's a lot of writer's anxiety and elbow grease (or rather, risk of developing carpal tunnel) that precedes getting published - and this is my blog all about it!